STAND. COM. REP. NO. 25

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 335

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 335 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROCUREMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Exempt small purchases of career and technical education equipment for the Department of Education from the electronic procurement system requirements; and

(2) Adjust the quotation requirements for the procurement of small purchases of career and technical education equipment for the Department of Education.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committee finds that as the largest department in the State, the Department of Education must procure numerous career and technical education equipment. However, the state public procurement code requires the Department of Education to comply with procurement laws for its purchases triggered by certain threshold amounts. Furthermore, the electronic procurement system places a heavy burden on school administrators and further strains their already limited time and resources because of the system's complicated and onerous nature. Your Committee believes that reducing certain small purchase procurement requirements and exempting small purchases from the electronic procurement system requirements for the Department of Education will help the Department procure necessary career and technical education equipment in a timely manner.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to July 1, 3000; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 335, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 335, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Labor & Government Operations.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair